


Recovery (Side Story)

by mirela



Category: DRAMAtical Murder - All Media Types
Genre: M/M, and some fluff later on, and this is just a part of it, can y'all tell i hate mink's entire existence, i'm sorry but i've had this au in my head for a long while, like an extra part from the whole story, mentions of past rape/non-con, real angsty stuff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-05
Updated: 2017-03-05
Packaged: 2018-09-28 12:47:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10101434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mirela/pseuds/mirela
Summary: After Aoba escaped Mink, he tried to put his life back on track, and Koujaku was there to help him. The two childhood friends returned to Platinum Jail to finish their mission, but some things don't just disappear overnight.Especially the nightmares that plague Aoba almost every night, and his only anchor to reality is Koujaku.





	

**Author's Note:**

> For Sofy and Celina <33

This was their third day at Platinum Jail, and Aoba's condition was shaky, to say the least. Koujaku's constant absence wasn't doing his best friend any good, but the thought of letting Ryuuhou slip away after all he's done just didn't sit right with him. He kept whispering apologies each time he had to go and didn't return for hours on end, which put Aoba under even more stress than he was already dealing with. Ren was doing his best to balance things between the two of them, and even though that week they spent in helping Aoba partially recover did some good, Aoba's mind was still a tricky thing, and he often woke up screaming and either attacking Koujaku or running out of the room and trying to escape

"Maybe we should stay somewhere else. This place is clearly not sitting well with Aoba," Koujaku suggested.

He was seated on the couch with Beni perched on his shoulder and Ren curled up in a ball on his lap, looking up at him.

"I agree." Ren wagged his tail approvingly. "But how are we to achieve that? We do not have sufficient funds," he added.

Koujaku sighed and tilted his head back, trying to keep it together and not punch something. Beni puffed out his feathers angrily.

"Nonsense! We can still do something, dummy!" he scolded Ren. "Aoba needs us!"

"I understand. But, realistically, it is not within our ability to move to another housing at the moment," Ren responded calmly.

 _He really is patient. Damn._ Koujaku thought, slightly lifting his eyebrows as he watched the exchange. Aoba was upstairs in their shared room sleeping. Koujaku had just returned after gathering enough information on Ryuuhou, but the shit Aoba pulled yesterday was just... unthinkable. Sure, Koujaku's kimono got puked on and all that stuff, but that was the least of his worries. Aoba almost passed out from the drugs, people were basically stepping on him as if he was some piece of trash, and Aoba himself was not looking so hot.

  
_"Koujaku!" Aoba called out, his speech slurred, yet his grip on Koujaku's arm tight as a vice. "What're ya... you... doing here..?" he mumbled.  
_

_His voice sounded weird.  
_

_"Come on, we need to get you out of here," Koujaku insisted as he cleaned Aoba up with the sleeve of his kimono and pulled him up on his feet.  
_

_"What... were you doin'.. doin' here?" Aoba slurred out, leaning into Koujaku and looking him straight in the eyes.  
_

_Koujaku almost lost his balance.  
_

_Aoba's eyes seemed to have a different glow to them, his cheeks were flushed, and there was a wicked grin on his face. It was definitely not something he was expecting to see, yet he already knew what was happening.  
_

_"Alright, you've had your fun, now leave Aoba alone," he growled, wrapping Aoba's arm around Koujaku's shoulders and his own arm around Aoba's waist, walking them slowly to the entrance of the nightclub.  
_

_On the way back it was nightmarish, mostly because this other part of Aoba was just... too damn grabby._ _It took all of Koujaku's willpower to carry him back to Glitter, and even more to subdue him as much as he could until he finally gave up and left, thus leaving Koujaku with a sleeping Aoba.  
_

_The real_ _A_ _oba this time around.  
_

_  
_ Koujaku sighed and left the two Allmates on the sofa to bicker back and forth, and made his way up the stairs and to his and Aoba's shared room. Aoba had insisted on this, saying it helped him sleep better, and Koujaku agreed without probing for any further information. It was enough for him to hear that Aoba really, genuinely wanted this, for Koujaku to feel okay with doing something to Aoba. He noticed Aoba's been having nightmares more frequently than he did when they were back at Tae-san's, but it was understandable, and God dammit he honestly wished they could move somewhere else.

A sigh escaped Koujaku's lips as he stopped in front of the door leading to the aforementioned room. He placed his hand on the handle and slowly pushed, careful not to make too much noise, but something caught his attention – a sound coming from inside.

It was Aoba.

He was crying.

Koujaku's mind went blank, he was acting on instinct. He quickly pushed the door open and hurried inside, but still being considerate enough to not scare Aoba awake (it did not go well last time he accidentally did that). Aoba's brow was furrowed, his face and entire body were tense, he was flinching and there were tears at the corners of his eyes. He was still asleep, but Koujaku knew he was having a nightmare. He wondered which one it was this time, even if that didn't matter much, since all of them were making Aoba suffer too much.

"Hey... Aoba," Koujaku softly whispered, pulling a chair that was sitting near the desk on the other end of the room, slowly placing it beside the bed and sitting down on it. "Aoba, I'm here," he whispered again.

Aoba was still flinching, kicking his legs weakly under the covers, mumbling something under his breath. It sounded like he was pleading with someone, begging them to leave him alone. The worst part is that Koujaku knew who that person was, and it hurt even more to know that there were places he couldn't reach in order to protect Aoba, so all he could do is be there for his friend in the waking world.

"I know you can hear me, Aoba." Koujaku leaned forward, his lips set in a grim line, his brows knitted in a frown. "Aoba. I'm here. What you're seeing is not real. Just listen to my voice, okay? Here," he reached his hand out and placed it in Aoba's limp one, giving it a gentle squeeze. All the while his voice was even, low and soothing. "You'll recover from this. I'm here for you."

Another weak sound escaped Aoba, and the tears flowed down his cheeks slowly, yet he was still dreaming. "Enough... enough...," he kept mumbling, and suddenly gripped Koujaku's hand tightly. "Get... off me...," he hiccuped, burying his face in the pillow. He moved his hands to his own face, pulling Koujaku along with him.

"Shh, I'm here," Koujaku repeated again, slightly tightening his grip and suddenly the boy went quiet, although his body was still shivering slightly.

"Kou... ja.. ku.."

Koujaku's eyes widened slightly at this, and before he knew it Aoba was reaching out, still dreaming, grabbing the sleeve of Koujaku's kimono and gripping it tightly. The hand that Koujaku was holding also tightened its grip, and Koujaku noticed that Aoba was slowly starting to gain control of the nightmare and realize that he could escape it. _This could also be Sly helping him out_ , Koujaku thought, and honestly hoped that was the case. As much as Koujaku thought Sly Blue was an asshole, he was still a part of Aoba, and he cared, albeit in his own fucked up way.

"You're alright, Aoba. You're safe," Koujaku said reassuringly, not minding the tight grip on both his hand and the sleeve of his red kimono. If that was Aoba's anchor to reality, then Koujaku was more than happy to let him hang on to it for as long as it was needed.

"Ko... Koujaku..." Aoba's eyes slowly started fluttering open, but it was obvious his eyelids felt heavy, so he had some difficulty opening them and fully escaping the nightmare.

Koujaku let out a breath of relief, one he didn't realize he was holding in, and a small relieved smile tugged at his lips. He leaned forward and gripped Aoba's hand a bit more.

"Don't give in, Aoba," he whispered, holding back tears of his own. He had to stay strong for Aoba, no matter what.

Aoba's eyes stopped fluttering, his body visibly relaxed, and the tears stopped falling from his eyes. The crease between his brows disappeared, and his lips relaxed into a loose, sleepy smile. His grip on the kimono's sleeve loosened and Koujaku carefully moved Aoba's hand back on the mattress, while still holding the other one. His heart broke each time he saw him in this state, but it would take a long time for Aoba to make a full recovery.

Maybe not _entirely_ full, but with Sly Blue's help, Koujaku was sure it could be achieved.

Koujaku sighed and watched as Aoba gently loosened the grip on Koujaku's hand, then slowly rolled over until his back was facing Koujaku. The latter just smiled at the sight, because it meant the nightmare was gone, and that Aoba was sleeping soundly again.

 

**. . .**

 

_Ugh... damn..._

Why did everything feel so... heavy?

_Ugh..._

He slowly blinked his eyes open, but his vision was really blurry. His entire body felt heavy and tired, as if he had ran a marathon and then immediately gone to bed. He still remembers the vivid images behind his eyelids, still hears the faint whispers of a familiar, warm voice slowly pulling him out of it, and the not-so-gentle yet helpful voice of the other _him_ , telling him to keep it together. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips and he closed his eyes again, getting ready to fall back asleep...

A breath tickled the back of his neck.

He could suddenly feel the weight of something heavy around his middle, and this time around his back was pressed against something solid and warm. The hold on him was not too tight or too loose, it was just right.

Almost like a lover.

 _Koujaku?_ He thought, slowly looking back over his shoulder.

And Koujaku was there, his eyes closed, face relaxed, obviously sleeping.

His heart skipped a beat.

He looked down at the hand wrapped around him, eyes moving over to the scars on Koujaku's knuckles, then to his long, beautiful fingers. Those were the hands of a fighter, of someone who's obviously been through a lot, and yet Aoba was still not sure exactly _what_ that thing was. But these same hands that wielded the sword with deadly accuracy and could lift almost anything were now relaxed and gentle, with one of them even splayed out on Aoba's chest, almost as if Koujaku was unconsciously trying to keep Aoba safe from the outside world even in his sleep. Aoba smiled at that and moved his own hand to place it over Koujaku's, gripping it gently, their fingers almost intertwining. Koujaku was his best friend, his hero, his protector, and Aoba wasn't sure what he'd do without him. A slight shiver ran through his entire body, and he felt at peace for the first time since he came back to Glitter. This was the Koujaku that Aoba ha s always known, the one that would not hesitate to lend a helping hand to Aoba, or even a shoulder to cry on, or even _goddamn piggyback his high ass out of a nightclub after he's puked all over_ _his kimono_ , and he'd do it all without thinking twice about it.

Aoba only wished he could learn more about the other Koujaku, the one that has been going out and not returning for hours on end, making Aoba worry like crazy. But he still trusted Koujaku, and something told him that, starting now, things would get better. For the two of them. Aoba smiled at that thought, closed his eyes and gave Koujaku's hand a gentle squeeze, hearing the same three words over and over in his own head, said by the very man who now held him in his protective embrace.

_Don't give in._

"I won't," Aoba murmured to himself, slowly letting sleep pull him under.


End file.
